Wine and cannabis common topics discussed at August symposium

(1 of )The farm manager for Bay Area Safe Alternatives collective, who chose to keep their employees anonymous, harvests one of the many varieties of organic marijuana growing on their Sonoma County farm on Tuesday, October 11, 2016. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Growing wine-grapes, and maybe a little something extra on the side? The Wine Industry Network is taking registrations for its inaugural Wine & Weed Symposium, a day-long event to be held Aug. 3 at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa. The business-focused conference is designed for wine industry professionals interested in learning about the impact that legalized recreational cannabis use in California will have on the wine industry.

“There are a lot of ‘experts’ out there trying to predict what the impact of legalization will be on the wine industry, but the truth is, none of them really know – and neither do I,” said George Christie, President of Wine Industry Network. The symposium is where Christie hopes to “get the conversation started” about the shared concerns of both agricultural industries.

The symposium will feature experts who will provide an overview of the cannabis industry as well as cover topics ranging from what is legal and new cannabis products, to regulations around licensing, hospitality, mixed-use farming, and other topics of interest.

Topics will include legal, business and career issues, and industry synergy between cannabis and wine. The symposium will include a limited number of tabletop exhibitors and sponsors, for which applications are currently being accepted. An outdoor buffet lunch is included in the day-long event, which begins at 9 a.m. and concludes with a networking social.

Registration for the event is now open and seating is limited. Standard registration is $295; the first one hundred people to register will receive a special “early-bird” discount of 15%. Table top exhibits and sponsorships are also limited. For more information about the topics and speakers, becoming a sponsor or exhibitor, and to register for the event, visit wine-weed.com or email info@wine-weed.com.